A New Life In the Copper Islands
by Aly Spy
Summary: Do not read this if you haven't read Trickster's Queen. It will provide spoilers galore.
1. Default Chapter

**Disclaimer: This all belongs to the greatest author on the planet. She owns it all except Gwylla.**

Okay, I'll repeat my warning. If you haven't read Trickster's Queen them don't read this unless you want spoilers. This is a one- shot.

Aly looked lovingly down at her newborn baby. Their newborn baby she

thought as she looked up at her husband, his dark eyes glittering with pride.

"What shall we call her?" she asked him. "I like the name Gwylla." he

replied cheerfully. "Call Her Majesty in here for me please Nawat." Aly

said. "I like the name too but we should get the godmother's opinion even if

we've already decided." Nawat went out and came back with Queen

Dovesary Balitang quickly, which made Aly suspect that she had been

waiting right outside the door. "What have you decided to name her Aly?"

she asked brightly. "Gwylla." Nawat and Aly replied at the same time.

"May I hold her?" Dove asked. Aly handed the baby up to her gently.

"Kyprioth!" Dove whispered. "She's got violet eyes! And look at that fiery

red hair. She's gong to have almost as bad of a temper as you Aly." Aly

sniffed mockingly and said in a joking tone, "Well Your Majesty, if you're

going to insult me so then perhaps Sarai will be her godmother instead."

Dove looked shocked at this and laughed. "Gwylla," she said, "your mother

is going to make life as difficult as possible for me. Oh well, you're going to

be a Trickster's daughter too."

Hope you enjoyed this. I just finished reading Trickster's Queen and I was dying to write something about Aly and Nawat's life.


	2. Chapter 2 Leaving

**Disclaimer: everything that you see here is Tamora Pierce's. The only things I own are Gwylla and Dylan**

Author's Note: I know I said that this would be a one shot but I had several people ask me to continue it so I'll try. I forwarded the story 13 years so now Gwylla is a 13 year old. Oh, for those of you who were wondering over Aly's so called temper that I put in the first chapter, she was just teasing Dove.

Aly looked at her daughter fondly in the mirror. She had long hair that was a dark strawberry blonde, and purple eyes just like her grandmother, Alanna of Pirate's Swoop and Olau.

"Ma?" Gwylla spoke up, interrupting her reverie. "When will I be able to travel to Tortall and become a page?" "Darling, your father and I aren't sure if it's safe with me being the spymaster and your father being the general of Her Majesty's army. We still have to decide." Aly answered gently.

Gwylla huffed to herself thinking, 'She never lets me do anything for myself. It's always safety this and safety that. Once her mother had left the room she made a decision. She was going to go whether her parents wanted it or not. Quickly she threw her essentials, including a small sack of gold that she had been given for her birthday, into a small cloth bag and changed into her most non-descript riding habit.

She ran down to the stables and quickly saddled up the fastest mare that her family owned. She had to get to the docks before anyone in Rajumat realized she was gone.

"Come on girl." She whispered as she led the horse out of the stables. She rode hard all the way to the docks, taking the shortcut through Honey pot even though she hated the place with all her heart.

Breathless, she stopped and asked a burly man where she could find a ship to Port Legann. Wordlessly, the man pointed to a large courier with royal blue sails. Steeling herself, she walked up to a slight young man, not much older than her, that was standing by the gangplank.

"Excuse me." she said politely. "Could you tell me where I can buy a passage on this ship?"

The boy smiled brightly and exclaimed, "Of course! My father is the captain. For a pretty lady such as yourself I would be happy to get you a passage."

Gwylla blushed and followed him onboard. "I'm Dylan of Masbolle." The boy offered. "Gwylla of Pines Peak. I'm going to the palace to become a page."

"Really?" he replied. "So am I. Did you know that you're going to be only the seventh lady knight in the realm if you get your shield? How old are you anyway? You look older than ten."

"I'm thirteen." Gwylla replied, blushing. 'Why can't I stop blushing?' she thought furiously to herself. 'He's just another normal boy just like the ones who get after me every day even though you would think that after the first slap they would get a clue. Oh well, I'm leaving that now.'

"How long will it take to get to Tortall?" Gwylla asked Dylan once his father had given her a passage on the ship.

"About half a month maybe longer if the weather's bad." He replied cheerfully. "You'll like the palace. It's nothing compared to the one here but it's very nice. Come on! It's time to go!"

Gwylla gulped as the ship set off. She was leaving her old life behind.

Ok. Did you like it? If I don't get three reviews I'm not going to continue. You can on the other hand, review more than once. I don't mind.


	3. Chapter 3 Tortall!

Hello people! I'm sorry I haven't updated in so long but it's not my fault that my computer hates me and refused to work. ::innocent look:: Ok, we all know that everything you recognize belongs to the one and only, great, stupendous, amazing Tamora Pierce.

"There's land! Beautiful land!" Gwylla cried, as excited as a child. She had discovered early on, that she had inherited her grandmother's sea sickness and it was just as bad. She had spent the first three weeks of the trip sick in her small cabin.

"Greetings fair lady!" she heard somebody call across the deck. She turned and saw Dylan striding across the deck dressed in ridiculously bright colors and laughing.

Gwylla giggled and then started laughing hysterically at his appearance. He looked like a court jester more than a royal page. "What?" she gasped, laughing, "Did you father do to you?" With that, she gave herself over to her laughter and laughed until she was bent completely double.

"Oh shut it." Dylan grumbled. "It's not my fault my father decided to dress me up like a peacock. Come on, we'll be docking soon and father sent orders for you to get dressed in your best dress and to meet him in his cabin."

"Oh and who am I to defy the great Domitan of Masbolle? I'll do it right away." With that, Gwylla ran into her cabin and started searching her bags for the one nice dress that she had brought.

Dylan's POV

Dylan lounged against the ship rail while he waited for Gwylla to get changed. When she finally appeared, his breath seemed to disappear. She was breathtaking, dressed in a filmy gown of light green. She had finally let her long, thick hair down out of the braid that she constantly seemed to have it in. It reached down to just above her knees, and when she moved, the sun glinted off of it and made it shine like gold.

Stunned, he just nodded his approval and led her down to his father's spacious cabin. When they arrived, Gwylla did a deep curtsy out of respect for the man's title. He heard her murmur something along the lines of 'It's an honor to be here my lord.' Then he watched as, smiling, his father pulled her up out of her curtsy and told her to call him Dom.

Gwylla's POV

She curtsied and stood when Dylan's father pulled on her hand. "Call me Dom." he told her conspiratorially. She smiled and replied, "Whatever you say Dom." That made him laugh and after he admired her clothes and made sure that she knew how to greet royalty he sent her off to watch the port from the deck.

She went outside and waited by the door, hoping to hear what Dom said to Dylan. 'You're falling for her aren't you Dylan?' she heard Dom's soft voice first. 'Maybe just a little bit…' Dylan replied. 'Right. And your mother is a stormwing.' 'Okay I'm falling for her a lot and I'm afraid she'll hate me if I tell her. I mean, we've only known each other for a few weeks. I'd end up getting slapped like you were when you were my age and still a sergeant in the King's Own.' 'Okay, it's your choice if you tell her or not but if I were you, I would.'

The conversation stopped and Gwylla ran out of sight just as the door opened. 'That will teach me to eavesdrop!' she thought to herself. 'I had to have imagined it.'

She leaned up against the ship's rail and thought over what she had heard. At least Dylan hadn't guessed how much she liked him. She had a sneaking suspicion that Dom knew everything though. He didn't seem to be the type of person to miss much.

She was jolted from her reverie when she felt the ship bump hard against something and realized that it was the dock. She was finally in Tortall! She squealed and gathered her skirts around her so that she could disembark as soon as possible.

She was surprised when Dylan walked up to her and informed her that she would need an escort to actually get of the boat. They had never had any silly rule like that when she was living in the Copper Isles.

Laughing at the expression on her face, which was priceless from the shock of actually being required to have an escort, Dylan offered her his arm and led her off the boat.

Dylan's POV

He looked around the busy docks and found who he was looking for. Almost forgetting that Gwylla was still holding his arm, he ran towards a tall woman with mouse brown hair.

When he yelled, she turned and her stern face broke into a grin. He stopped in front of her and she gazed at him disapprovingly, having seen him take off running when Gwylla had no idea what was going on. Amazingly, she was still standing by his side, flustered from all the excitement of the Tortallan docks but not breathing hard at all from the hard run.

"I know you just couldn't wait to see me Dylan." the tall woman rebuked him gently. "But is that anyway to treat a lady, or obviously one of your friends?"

Dylan hung his head for a moment before he brightened and introduced the two females, who were regarding each other curiously.

"Mother, this is Lady Gwylla of Pines Peak. She's from Tortall but she's lived in the Copper Isles her whole life. Gwylla, this is Lady Knight Keladry of Masbolle. I wouldn't call her that for your own safety though. She hates being called that and prefers Kel."

The older woman smiled at Gwylla and Dylan was happy to see his mother and friend accepting each other. "Welcome to Tortall. May I call you Gwylla since my son here has attached onto you like a dog with a bone."

Gwylla smiled and nodded her assent to the knight. "So this is the famed second lady knight. I've only met one other. My grandmother doesn't come to visit us anymore now."

Dylan gaped at her. "I never knew that your grandmother was Lady Alanna! You could tell me these things you know."

Gwylla smiled and said to Kel, "Has your son always been this clueless or did he learn it from somebody I should avoid?" Kel started laughing and informed her that Dylan was just born that way.

The girl and the knight then started talking, only stopping so that Kel could tell Dylan to help his father.

They discussed Gwylla becoming a page and Kel gave her many good tips on how to exercise. She told stories about Joren of Stone Mountain and about other stories of her page years.

The two girls quickly became fast friends and after Gwylla was presented to the regents quickly Kel took Gwylla shopping. They quickly each emptied half of their money bags and were loaded down with packages mainly dressed, tunics, and breeches, with a couple of breastbands for Gwylla.

Gwylla had been shocked when Kel told her that she was going to be needing mor breastbands. "I've already got four!" she complained. "Why do I need more?"

Finally though, Kel pushed her into it and she bought a corset as well.

That night, Dylan decided that he would tell Gwylla that he liked her maybe even loved her.

He walked up to her room in the inn that they were staying at and knocked softly on the door. 'Come in he heard a soft voice call. He walked in and saw Gwylla seated on one of the pillows in front of the fire.

He paced around for a moment and then started speaking when he saw that Gwylla was looking at him expectantly. "Gwylla, I.." he started an then the door burst open.

**So, did you like it? Please review whether you liked it or not. Aren't you proud of me? I actually wrote a long story. Miracle isn't it? You know the drill. Press the little blue button and REVIEW. Get it? Got it? Good. I expect at least ten reviews for this chapter or I'm giving up on this story. Please be nice in your reviews. I appreciate constructive criticism but I DO NOT LIKE FLAMES. I'll try and post the next chapter sooner.**


	4. Chapter 4 Fire? Pages! Uncles?

**I'm back. Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, Happy Kwanza, Feliz Navidad. Did I cover everything? If I didn't I apologize. I'm finally updating aren't you proud? We've had stupid finals for the past week. Just too clear up something, Gwylla is fourteen, I'm modeling her after a friend of mine.**

**Disclaimer: It's all Tamora's even though I wish to death it was mine.**

Gwylla's POV

Kel came through the door, panting. "Stables… On fire…….. Huge blaze………. Need help…" Gwylla gasped and jumped to her feet and grabbed the pitcher full of water for her wash basin.

She headed towards the door and stopped when she realized that Dylan wasn't following her. Gwylla turned around and saw him still sitting on her bed, where he had sat down a moment before Kel had come barging in.

"Well! What are you waiting for? Find some water and come help!" she demanded of him. He nodded numbly and got up to follow her.

Gwylla rushed as quickly as she could without spilling any water, through the common room and bar and out into the courtyard to the blazing stable.

She ran up to the rest of the folks helping fight the fire and began quickly passing water form one person to another. Dimly, she saw Dylan run passed her, into the burning building and come back out with a horse. Then she concentrated on the burning heat.

With such a great force of people working against it, the fire dwindled down to a few wandering flames and lots of smoldering embers. The building was destroyed but according to reports, most of the horses had been saved.

As Gwylla watched some of the men put out the rest of the flames, dazed and tired, Kel came up to her, looking as weary as the rest of the people in the small courtyard.

Her voice hoarse from the smoke, Kel told Gwylla that she had better go to bed, since the next day they would be going to the palace for her and Dylan to become squires.

Gwylla smiled and stumbled up to her room. The next day, she awoke to sunlight, with no hint to the horror that had happened the night before except for the acrid smell of smoke in the air.

She smiled as she remembered that their group was going to the palace today. She was finally going to be a page! She threw on a pair of breeches and a tunic and went to check on her horse, to make sure that it was fine after the fire.

Soon, Kel came to tell her that it was time for them to leave. Gwylla mounted her horse easily and followed Kel and Dylan once they were on their mounts Hoshi and Amaan.

As they neared the palace gates, Gwylla got more and more nervous. What if she didn't make it through page training? What if she wasn't suitable? Kel had assured her a while ago that nothing would go wrong, but Gwylla disagreed. Everything could go wrong and probably would.

A servant met the small party at the gates and led them to the training master's office. The servant knocked lightly on the door and it was at once opened.

"Thank you for bringing them to me Lalasa." the man standing in the doorway said to the maid. The girl bobbed a curtsy and walked quickly down the corridor.

The tall man stood aside, inviting their group inside the room. Kel gave Gwylla a gentle shove and she stumbled into the room, with Dylan right behind her.

For the first time, she got a good look at the man that was the royal training master. She gasped. The tall man looked exactly like her mother. She had often been told stories of her uncle, Ma's twin brother. What was his name again? Alan?

The man looked at the boy and the girl with an amused look. Gwylla bowed, her head, worried about what he was going to say.

"I am Lord Alan of Pirate's Swoop. You are?" he finally said, after a moment of silence.

"I am Gwylla of Pirate's Swoop, daughter of Alianne of Pirate's Swoop. Your niece." "This is an interesting turn." Lord Alan said. "I never heard that Alianne had a daughter. Of course, I suspect you'll be using your alias? What was it? Pines Peak?"

Gwylla nodded, amazed that even her mother's twin brother knew all this. "This is Dylan of Masbolle." she added as an afterthought. She finished speaking and wondered why she hadn't just given her alias, that she had always been instructed to use.

She had just felt compelled not to lie to this man, that it would be a bad idea. She glanced at Dylan and saw him staring at her.

"You lied to me." he muttered. "You've been lying all this time." He continued to mutter to himself in disbelief, not facing her anymore.

Lord Alan watched the small exchange with amusement. "Do you have to find everything funny?" Gwylla snapped at him, and then she covered her mouth with her hands before she could say anything else. "I'm so sorry sir." she said quietly.

Lord Alan just smiled again and said, "Lalasa will take you both to get your palace clothing. Then she will show each of you your quarters." He rang a bell to summon the maid.

Dylan glared at Gwylla one last time before he turned to follow Lalasa. Gwylla sighed and resigned herself to at least a week of loneliness.

Dylan had told her that he could hold a grudge forever and it seemed that he could.

Lalasa took the two to the ground floor of the palace and outside to a small but impressive building to get their uniforms. They weren't as bad as Gwylla had thought they would be.

Dark blue tunics, with black leggings would fit well in training. She was amazed that Lord Alan would let female pages wear tight-fitting leggings.

'Oh well. This should be interesting.' she thought. Once she had been fitted for five sets of clothing and a dark blue dress for formal occasions she looked around for Lalasa so that she could find her room.

She searched though all the clothing rooms and still couldn't find the girl so she gave up and set out on her own through the maze of palace corridors. She started jogging so that she could cover more ground.

She turned a corner and ran into a tall, dark haired man.


End file.
